Yet another Vikings Super Bowl prediction

This is the question I had to ask myself this morning when one of the sports guys I tend to agree with more than just about anyone, Eric Casilias, said on Mike and Mike in the morning, ESPN radio, that if Tarvaris Jackson can put up even the 16th best QB numbers in the NFL this year (or just have an average year), the Vikings would be his Super Bowl team. What? Do any of these guys realize we’re talking about the Vikings?

The thing that is not being said when all of these guys (Vikings themselves, Dr. Z, Eric Casilias, SportsNation fan polling) extol the virtues of our purple neighbors, is that the Vikings have an unbelievable ability to self-sabotage. They were 15-1 in the regular season a few years ago, having the best statistical season for years offensively. They just rolled through that season. They had it all, including a kicker who didn’t miss all year. Then, of course, because they are the Vikings, that kicker missed the most important field goal of his life (only a 38 yarder) in the playoffs and it ended up being a major reason they lost. With a coach like Brad Childress, fair-weather fans and a legacy rife with sabotagocity, as it were, I have a hard time believing this Vikings team, despite having some talent on paper, will play in the Super Bowl.

Let’s compare these Vikes to our Packers:

RB – advantage Vikes

WR – advantage Packers (big)

QB – advantage Packers

TE – advantage Packers (big)

O-Line – even

D-Line – advantage Vikes

Linebackers – advantage Packers (slight)

Secondary – even (being generous here, Packers likely have edge)

Special teams – even

Coaching – advantage Packers (big)

I would highly recommend that all of these bandwagon jumpers review my highly scientific model of analysis above to realize the Vikes aren’t even the best in their division.

Nice Josh nice. All very true. I think the coolness of the home stadiums may be as large a difference as possible considering Lambeau is the best and the Metrodome may in fact be the worst building ever created.

I think this happens every year. People look at the previous year and note that one or two teams improved from .500 or below to cotention. So they look around the league for a team that fits that profile AND had some positive characteristics (in this case a stud running back and good D-line) AND made some flashy offseason moves (adding Allen) and then they ignore all of the problems that made them .500 or worse despite those positives and declare them the sleeper team, the surprise team. No one wants to pick the obvious team, the cache is in being the only guy who saw it coming. Ironically, when this formula is used everyone usually ends up picking the same sleeper team and that team usually flops under the expectations. A few years ago it was the Dolphins in Saban’s 2nd year, the Cardinals are a perennial (insert some stat about how well they played over the last 5 games of the previous year), the Rams were that team a year or two ago. It’s typical collective novelty thinking. I’m pretty sure it applies in other fields as well because I have no other explanation for the sudden wave of Shia LaBouf movies.

Good news for us is that this is almost always the kiss of death . . . the best chance for the vikes would have been to actually be under the radar, string together a few early wins, get their confidence while most of the league figures they got a little lucky and round inio shape for the late season push, a la the pack last year. while many fans felt they had a chance to step up and improve they recieved very little naitonal attention as “the sleeper” until they beat the Chargers. The vikes will have no such luxery now, when they start 1-2 it will lead to panic, hopefully.

— Adrian Peterson stays healthy, and
— fulfills the potential he showed last season, and
— they get enough production out of the passing game so that defenses can’t just stack 9 guys in the box on every down, and
— there are no major regressions from last year

then the Vikings could easily make the playoffs, and probably win at least one game. But I think it would have to be a major off-year for the NFC (like the year of the Giants vs. Ravens Superbowl) for the Vikings to get all the way to the big game.

I got into an argument with a bunch of Viqueens over the weekend and they were convinced they were going to be better than the Packers. I kept mocking Tavrias Jackson on the blitz and of course they had no comeback.